Border Wall Worker Escapes Injury in 40-Foot Fall: CBP

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said the construction worker wasn't paying attention when he took a backwards "misstep" and fell 40 feet down a hole at the foundation of one of the border wall prototype projects in south San Diego County

Man Plunges 40 Feet Down Hole While Working on Border Wall Prototype

A worker took a step backwards and plunged 40 feet down a hole, while he was digging a foundation for a U.S.-Mexico border wall prototype. He was hoisted from the hole and medically evacuated on site. Medics determined he was not injured, and he promptly resumed his work. (Published Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017)

A man plummeted 40 feet down a hole while working at a construction site on one of the U.S.-Mexico border wall prototypes in south San Diego County Wednesday, officials confirmed.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesperson Carlos Diaz said the worker survived the fall without serious injuries and promptly returned to work at the site in Otay Mesa.

Diaz said the worker was not following protocol and, as he walked backward at the site, fell into a 40-foot-deep hole around 10 a.m. The worker was not paying attention, said Diaz who classified the incident as a "misstep."

Diaz said the worker was hoisted out of the hole and was evaluated for injuries at the scene. He was not hurt and promptly returned to his duties.

Diaz said workers set up a double layer of plywood at the site to prevent this type of accident from happening again. Officials said the worker was digging the foundation for one of the border wall prototypes at the time of the accident.

Construction worker falls into 40 ft. hole while working on border wall project. He's okay and back at work. #NBC7

Bulldozers continue flattening out dirt around the area by the corner of Enrico Fermi Drive and Via De La Amistad. Six companies will build eight different prototypes of the border wall proposed by President Donald Trump for the U.S.-Mexico border.

Four of those prototypes will be made of concrete and the others of different materials. The wall will be built not far from the current U.S.-Mexico border wall. No other information was immediately available.

See It: Construction Begins on Border Wall Prototypes

South of San Diego, builders have started construction on eight prototypes of the US-Mexico border wall promised by President Donald Trump, and area officials are preparing for possible crowds of protesters.

(Published Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017)

At this point, the company that the man works with is unknown.

Diaz said a so-called "emergency protocol" was put into effect following the man's fall, although he couldn't elaborate on details of that process.